Pinkberry Arrives in Edmonton

July 28, 2012

About two weeks ago, the American Frozen Yogurt chain Pinkberry landed in Edmonton and opened in one of the highest traffic locations the city has to offer: West Edmonton Mall. With their prime location set in a busy food court right outside of the waterpark, it seemed like it would be guaranteed tons of traffic from froyo hungry Edmontonians.

Pinkberry - West Edmonton Mall Food Court Phase 3 - Edmonton AB


Luckily I had some time in my schedule to check out the Grand Opening party on July 12th. From 5PM til close, curious customers were given a chance to try out a small sized yogurt with three toppings free of charge. While the media event was going on, I chose to stand in line to get the 'real' (or as close to real as can be) Pinkberry experience by interacting with the staff behind the counter.


The unit occupied by Pinkberry is quite spacious (previously occupied by Gelati Napoli), and lit in a variety of different ways. However, it isn't brightly lit like Tutti Frutti, and features dimmer lighting giving the space a relaxed vibe. The brightest lighting in the space is actually the case where the toppings are stored. I personally prefer brighter spaces, because it exudes an energetic environment, especially when the staff are friendly and enthusiastic.


Unlike Tutti Frutti and Twisted Yogurt here in Edmonton, Pinkberry chooses to serve yogurt in set sizes, and the staff behind the counter create it for you. You choose the base flavour and toppings, and that's all the control you have. The toppings are organized into four different categories: daily fresh cut fruit, liquid toppings, premium dry toppings, and luxe toppings (which have an additional cost to them). All the toppings are placed in bins right next to one another, so I'm a little worried about cross contamination between them, especially since there are nuts available as a topping. If staff accidentally drop any nuts into adjacent bins, there is the possibility of serious allergic reactions, so I would love to see the nut related toppings placed in a separate area if possible.


At any one time, six yogurt flavours will be available, and on opening day there were (and still currently are): original, strawberry, chocolate, coconut, pomegranate & mango. For myself, I like the tartness of yogurt and typically get plain with fresh fruit toppings and mochi. This way the yogurt is a healthier treat! I did try the mango and coconut flavours, and found them to be quite sweet and not too creamy, but without that tart taste that I like. I'm going to safely assume that chocolate and strawberry are creamy flavours as well, without the typical tartness.


Now I do have to mention that I'm not really a big fan of this service system, because I like to control my own portion sizes and the proportion of toppings that I place on my yogurt. You will also only get to have one flavour of yogurt in your bowl, unlike the system at Tutti Frutti where you are able to mix and match the colours in your bowl to your liking. For yogurt with three toppings of your choice, you're looking at $5.70 for a small, $6.65 for medium, and $8.70 for large (all prices before tax). If you're not a fan of toppings, that isn't a problem either, with the prices set at $3.95, $4.95 and $6.95 respectively. Looking at the prices, they are a bit more expensive for their sizes compared to the price per ounce system utilized by other frozen yogurt establishments in Edmonton.


Something that does set Pinkberry aside, however, is the range of yogurt options available. Staff are able to serve up fresh fruit parfaits, yogurt in cones, fresh fruit bowls, and even blended smoothies. I think health conscious consumers will also appreciate the caloric count associated with each product that they serve. Despite the crazy rush of customers for the opening event, the staff behind the counter remained calm and were so friendly! For the first day of service, things seemed to be under control and ran smoothly, making the experience for the first time customer a pleasant and memorable one.

Pinkberry on Urbanspoon

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28 comments

  1. who doesnt love pinkberry! I just wish it was cheaper :) nice post!

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  2. I'm a huge fan of Pinkberry...my favorite combination = original + honey + fruit pebbles. I like tart flavors too. They used to have a tart blood orange, but I think it was seasonal.

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    1. Ooh, tart blood orange is intriguing! Hopefully they bring it back so I can try it :)

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  3. hey andrea! we have pinkberry yogurt everywhere around here. i was shocked to see how dark it was! i'll have to do a post on one near my house to show you how opposite the interior design is (because the one's at least in new orleans are BRIGHT). i love pinkberry! i love the selection of yogurt options and their fresh yummy toppings. i agree with you, it would be cool to mix the flavors of yogurt in one container. excellent review! i knew you would like that 18K gold OPI nail polish! haha hope you get it when it comes out.
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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  4. Hi Andrea, I love Pinkberry! I always have the original with the pink and yellow balls (kinda taste like lychee) and peanut butter crunch. My son loves the fruit parfait. I do think Pinkberry is a bit expensive though. Have a great weekend!

    xo Jo

    http://whiterosesandcoffee.blogspot.ca/

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  5. Oh gosh, I love PinkBerry! ...though I think I love Red Mango just a little bit more :P
    Anyways, that's awesome that you guys got PinkBerry in Edmonton! I always get the very fruity froyos. Whenever they have the mango option, I snatch that up, and ask for strawberries, blueberries, and as many fruits as I can handle. ^^
    What's your favorite kind?
    ♥ xixia | thisisxixia.com

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    1. Mmm, I love fresh fruit on my yogurt! Everywhere I go, I typically just get plain tart yogurt with fresh fruit & mochi pieces on top!

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  6. Wow that's pricier that I thought it would be! I agree, the downside to this service model is that you might want more of one type of topping and less of another, but it's in their hands with this system. Hopefully if you ask them to adjust the topping portion size they can accomodate.

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    1. You would hope they can! I'm sure they can accommodate :)

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  7. we have the same yogurt shop in my town, except it's called red mango. pomegranate yogurt with raspberries, mmm :) cute blog girl!

    www.sultanassanctuary.blogspot.com

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  8. love your reviews! :)
    it's always nice to see your thoughts on places that i've been thinking of (or never heard of) trying hahaha

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  9. Pinkberry is SOOOOO good! I'm addicted to it! Original is my favorite :) Tart and sweet!

    xo Rachel

    www.glamhampton.com

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  10. Have you ever tried Menchies?! It's super good as well!

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    1. Haven't had menchies yet.. but I'm heading down to the States in two weeks or so, and hopefully I'll be able to try some!

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  11. You get your yogurt typically the way I get mine --the regular tart with fresh fruit & mochi! Sooo yummy!

    I'm surprised about the nuts section. That could become a serious issue if someone were to have an allergic reaction by accidental consumption!

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    1. Yum! Froyo twins :) & yes the nuts issue really bothers me.. I wonder if they'll ever change it!

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  12. that's so delicious! in holland we have something like it, it's called frozz :)!

    <3

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  13. We call that Sour Sally in Indonesia :D Almost the same like mostly froyos, I can eat them like crazy without worrying about my weight LOL

    Wanna follow each other?
    BLOG | TWITTER | TUMBLR

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  14. We don't have Pinkberry here but we do have similar franchises and shops. I'm not hugely into yoghurt though, but it looks yummy in the pic :) I thought that was a really good point about the nuts, even a few accidentally dropped into the other toppings would be very bad news for those allergic to nuts :S

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  15. mm that looks delicious! locally, we have TCBY and Menchies for frozen yogurt. Menchies is like the Tutti Frutti you describe-- you get to make your own product and then pay by weight, and I agree with you in that I like that!

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  16. I remember when pinkberry first opened they wouldn't let you take photos instead =/ thought it was so strange...haha but I still loved going =) I really like your blog! I'm also blogging about restaurants if you'd like to check it out.

    <3 Kelly
    SavvySelections.blogspot.com

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  17. Mmm Pinkberry! Looks delicious!

    ariarhapsody.blogspot.com

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  18. Lucky!! Toronto needs to get one ASAP!

    http://mindyspice.blogspot.ca/

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  19. The result looks delicious!

    xx
    me-travelleroftheworld.blogspot.com

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